Two-dimensional codes have been known since the mid nineties. Said codes allow being read as bar codes, however instead of scanning the information in one direction, the information is provided in two dimensions, for this reason they are known as two-dimensional codes or matrix codes.
There are a number of applications of said two-dimensional codes, such as for stock management, for example.
Other applications of two-dimensional codes are those related to providing information with respect to the geographical position where the code is located. Japanese Patent Application JP 2004/213191 describes a code providing said information.
Application JP 2006/202264 shows the fact that useful or relevant information with respect to a shop, a building or a service is included in a two-dimensional code. Scanning the two-dimensional code thus enables having said information displayed in the mobile telephone, for example. Said information would be displayed in that language in which the information was stored in the code.
Another application described in Japanese Application JP 2006/318114 is the application to facilitate, to some extent, translations, including a word together with its translation or meaning in the two-dimensional code.